Skip to content

Nearly 400 Lawyers Urge the Netherlands to Act on Gaza

AI translated. Original Dutch letter is here.

Press release 13 June 2025

GAZA: CRY OUT FOR RESPECT FOR THE LAW!

Today, a large group of almost 400 lawyers sent an open letter to the Prime Minister. The lawyers express their great concern about the catastrophe in the occupied Palestinian Territory, especially in Gaza. Urgent action is required. They urge the Prime Minister to act seriously and in accordance with the basic international obligations of the Netherlands and to speak out unequivocally about Israel’s actions. Article 90 of the Constitution obliges the Dutch government to promote the international legal order.

Why?

In Gaza, the civilian population is suffering heartbreakingly from starvation, destruction of civilian infrastructure and housing, and forced displacement. These are serious war crimes. The law should not be selectively set aside. The International Court of Justice has imposed provisional measures on Israel in three rulings – most recently in May 2024 – to improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza. Israel has not cared about that. According to the Court, there is a real and imminent risk of an irreparable infringement by Israel of the rights of the Genocide Convention. The Netherlands is obliged to do what it can to contribute to the prevention of genocide. Since the rulings of the International Court of Justice, the situation has deteriorated dramatically and catastrophically. The Netherlands is not taking any concrete and serious measures to address Israel about this; not after the first ruling of the International Court of Justice and still not.

Who?

The open letter to the prime minister was signed by former members of the judiciary, (former) lawyers, scientists and other lawyers. It has never happened before that former judges, as such, sign such a letter. Among the former members of the judiciary are former members of the Supreme Court, a former attorney general at the Supreme Court and many former presidents of courts and tribunals. In addition to a former rector magnificus, the scientists who signed the letter include many professors and other lecturers with special expertise in the field of international law (etc.).

All signatories have in common that they want to propagate the value of the law. They cannot justify remaining silent in the face of such a serious violation of international law.

Attached: the open letter with almost 400 names.

ATTACHMENT

Open Letter from Concerned Jurists Regarding the Occupied Palestinian Territories

The Hague, 13 june 2025

Subject: Respect for the law

Dear mister Schoof,

Out of our commitment to the law, we, lawyers (former judges, lawyers, professors and other scientists, and other lawyers) of almost 400 in number, express with this letter our deep concern at the catastrophe that is currently taking place in the occupied Palestinian territories, especially in Gaza: the civilian population is suffering heartbreakingly from starvation, bombing and forced displacement. Particularly serious cases of violations of international law are taking place before our eyes.

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has imposed provisional measures on Israel in three rulings (most recently in May 2024) to improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza. However, Israel has not implemented this in any way. The ICJ has ruled that there is a real and imminent risk of irreparable infringement of the rights protected by the Genocide Convention. The international law definition of genocide and the other obligations of the Genocide Convention are binding on our government. The Netherlands is therefore obliged to do what it can to contribute to the prevention of genocide. Since that last ruling, the overall situation in Gaza has further escalated and deteriorated dramatically, with the result that there is now a serious risk of genocide. The Dutch government has not only failed to address Israel about this after the first ruling of the ICJ, but still does not do so and does not take concrete and serious measures. Starvation and bombing of civilian targets are war crimes, and must stop immediately to prevent genocide from taking place.

Let the Netherlands not treat the law as a menu of options, but propagate respect for the value of the law in word, deed and voting behaviour. Failure to act undermines the international legal order. We therefore urge you to act expeditiously in accordance with our country’s fundamental international obligations and to speak out unequivocally about Israel’s actions. So: stop the starvation of civilians and the bombing of civilian targets!

Respectvoorrecht@gmail.com

List of signatories

Former members of the judiciary

  1. J. van Aerde
  2. M.J.A.M. Ahsmann
  3. A. van Andel
  4. A.W. Beelaerts van Blokland
  5. G. Blomsma
  6. H. Bolt
  7. E.J.M. Boogaard-Derix
  8. Th.P.L. Bot
  9. R.J. van Boven
  10. D.J. de Brauw
  11. P. Broekhoven
  12. J.L.A. Brouwer
  13. H.F. Buijsman
  14. J. Calkoen-Nauta
  15. W.J.B. Claassen-Dales
  16. M. Cools-Weebers
  17. G.J.M. Corstens
  18. M. Cox
  19. A.H. van Delden
  20. J. Denie
  21. D.J. van Dijk
  22. J.C. van Dijk
  23. L.A.M. van Dijke
  24. S.L. Donker
  25. M. Drabbe
  26. D. van Driel van Wageningen
  27. G.P.M. Dungen
  28. F.W.H. van den Emster
  29. I. Gimbrère
  30. P. van Ginkel
  31. A.M.C. Groen
  32. R. de Groot
  33. G.J. de Haas
  34. A. Hammerstein
  35. A.S. Hartkamp
  36. M.J. Hegeman
  37. M.I.J. Hegeman
  38. R. Herrmann
  39. H.L.C. Hermans
  40. H.F.M. Hofhuis
  41. J. Huinen
  42. J.L.R.A. Huydecoper
  43. B.J.G.M. Ides Peeters
  44. C.L. Keijzer
  45. E. Knottnerus
  46. J.P.M. Kooijmans
  47. A.M. de Kooijmans-de Kort
  48. J.Ch. Koster-Vaags
  49. V. Koster – van der Flier
  50. Y.A.M.J. van Kuijck
  51. R. Lameijer
  52. P.P. Lampe
  53. J.P. Leijten
  54. C. Lely- van Goch
  55. H. van Lokven-van der Meer
  56. E.A. Maan
  57. J.H.J.M. Mertens-Steeghs
  58. W. Miltenburg
  59. J.J. Minnaar
  60. H. Moorman
  61. B. Noordraven
  62. H.M. van Oijen
  63. M. Pach
  64. M. Pel
  65. C.G. Peper
  66. H. Poeth
  67. B.P.J.A.M. van der Pol
  68. J.E.M. Polak
  69. N. van Raalte
  70. L. van Rijckevorsel-Besier
  71. M. de Rooij
  72. E. van Rossem
  73. R.S.T. van Rossem-Broos
  74. H. de Ruijter
  75. S. Rullmann
  76. J.A.M. van Schaick-Veltman
  77. P.H.C.M Schoemaker
  78. M. Scholten
  79. J.W. Sentrop
  80. E.G. Smedema
  81. H.A.W. Snijders
  82. L.A. van Son
  83. F.G.P.M. Spreuwenberg
  84. M.M. Steenbeek
  85. G.A.M. Stevens
  86. C.A. Streefkerk
  87. E.M. Struijk
  88. R.E.A. Toeter
  89. H.AE. Uniken Venema
  90. W. van Veen
  91. A.C. van de Velde-ter Beek
  92. J.J.I. Verburg
  93. L. Verheij
  94. A. Vincent
  95. A.Th.M. Vrijhoeven
  96. J. Westhoff
  97. K.A.J.M. Wetzels
  98. P.J. Wiegman
  99. Chr. Wiertz-Wezembeek
  100. R.R. Winter

Lawyers and former lawyers

  1. Adnane Aary
  2. Dilek Abotay
  3. M.P.J. Ahsmann
  4. Wout Albers
  5. ⁠Gulcan Alkilic
  6. L. van Amsterdam
  7. ⁠Şeyma Arıkan
  8. ⁠Derya Arpacay
  9. ⁠Havva Asal
  10. ⁠Neslihan Aydogan-Kütük
  11. Zakaria Badrane
  12. Aleid Bakker
  13. W.M.J. Bekkers
  14. ⁠Nassima Bekri
  15. ⁠Siham Benali
  16. Amjad Beuqi
  17. L. Bex
  18. P. de Bièvre
  19. ⁠Sahin Bildirici
  20. ⁠Kudret Bingöl
  21. Bansta Blancenburg
  22. Samira Bouddount
  23. Farida Boukich
  24. ⁠Theo Boumans
  25. Anne-Marie Bouwmeester
  26. J. Brouwer
  27. N. de Bruijn
  28. T. Buruma
  29. ⁠Murat Çankaya
  30. ⁠Anilhan Cav
  31. Gülsüm Çekiç
  32. ⁠Funda Çelen
  33. ⁠Alper Cinar
  34. W.H. Claassen
  35. Lotte van Diepen
  36. H.F. Doeleman
  37. ⁠Ali Durmuş
  38. J. Edriouch
  39. ⁠Ibtisame El Ajjouri
  40. Abdelhadi El Aqde
  41. ⁠Imad El Boutaibi
  42. ⁠Jamal El Hannouche
  43. ⁠Salma El Kaddouri
  44. ⁠Anass el Ouath
  45. G. El Wanni
  46. E. Elias
  47. P.M. Elion
  48. A. Engbers
  49. R. Feiner
  50. ⁠Tom Franssen
  51. M. van Geffen
  52. Sarah Gerrits
  53. Koert Gobbens
  54. M. Gommer
  55. D. Guerro Obando
  56. L. Haanraadts
  57. E. Hammerstein
  58. Josephine Haneveer
  59. S. Harenberg
  60. Jan-Paul Heering
  61. ⁠Nannet Heilhof
  62. M.C. Hoeba
  63. J. Hoefnagel
  64. D. Hoekzema
  65. J.S. Hofhuis
  66. R. Hogenbirk
  67. ⁠Chris Ingelse
  68. D. Janssen
  69. J.E. Janssen
  70. Marius Jospephus Jitta
  71. U.W. Joustra
  72. L-B. Kamp
  73. Murat Kartal
  74. ⁠Erdal Kaya
  75. Yucel Kaya
  76. Marieke Kikkert
  77. ⁠Fadime Kilic Arslan
  78. M. Kingma
  79. Th. Kluizenaar
  80. L. Klumperink
  81. ⁠Anka Knol
  82. L.M. Komp
  83. E. Kooij
  84. ⁠Ejder Köse
  85. ⁠Nursel Kose-Albayrak
  86. C. van der Kwaak
  87. M.G. Langemheen
  88. N. Lgarah
  89. H. Lichteveld
  90. S. Lopik
  91. Kaylee Louwarts
  92. Corten M.
  93. J. van Maanen
  94. Th.L. van Maaren
  95. J.F.M. Matthijsen
  96. E. van Meulen
  97. M. Miltenburg
  98. T. Nedervaan
  99. Lucien Nix
  100. M. Nuijten
  101. Fatih Oksuz
  102. ⁠Robert Oosthout
  103. Salima Ouald Chaib
  104. Marziye Öz
  105. ⁠Fatih Özer
  106. Ch. Pasteuning
  107. M.P. Peters
  108. T. Pieters
  109. M.A. Pieters
  110. ⁠Hilal Polat
  111. ⁠Nabila Rachid
  112. Elles Ramakers
  113. Haroon Raza
  114. ⁠Casper Regter
  115. K. de Roo
  116. A.S. Rueb
  117. Samira Sabir
  118. Öznur Şahin
  119. ⁠Özlem Saki
  120. G.N. Sanders
  121. ⁠René Sangers
  122. Anne van Schaik
  123. R. Scheltes
  124. Assiye Seme
  125. ⁠Mona Shaaban
  126. K. Six-Hummel
  127. ⁠Lajla Sjadijeva
  128. W. Smelt
  129. J.J. Sneller
  130. ⁠Jiri Sopacua
  131. Meral Soytekin
  132. Yonina Spijker
  133. H. van der Spoel
  134. S.V. Stephenson
  135. L. Stevens
  136. A. Sträter
  137. J. Streefkerk
  138. A. Tan
  139. R. Tan
  140. J. Teunissen
  141. D. Tilanus
  142. ⁠Kemal Tosun
  143. P.C. Vas Nunes
  144. L. Vermunt-van den Heuvel
  145. Bart Vernooij
  146. J. Verstoep
  147. N.A. Visser
  148. N. Wagenaar
  149. T. Wiersma
  150. M. Wijngaarden
  151. H.J. Willems
  152. D.J.B. de Wolff
  153. J. van Woudenberg
  154. R. Wybenga
  155. ⁠Menekse Yigitdol
  156. ⁠Sanae Zahri
  157. ⁠Steve Zuidema
  158. Martijn Zwennes

Scientists

  1. prof. T. Aalberts
  2. P.R. Akkermans
  3. prof. J.M. Akkermans
  4. prof. D. Allewijn
  5. prof. A. Arcuri
  6. prof. R. van Ark
  7. R.G. van Ark
  8. S.C.W.M. Arntz
  9. prof. A. Beckers
  10. prof. A.W. Bedner
  11. M.R. Beuker
  12. prof. C. Brölman
  13. prof. M. Brus
  14. prof. A. Buyse
  15. C. Carbonari
  16. C. Cauffman
  17. prof. Sjoerd Claessens
  18. prof. G. Cornelisse
  19. Thea Coventry
  20. prof. G. van Dijck
  21. prof. M Eliantonio
  22. A.L. Fischer
  23. L. Glas
  24. prof. F.W. Grosheide
  25. prof. J.J.A. Hamers
  26. prof. S. van der Hof
  27. A.M. de Hoon
  28. M. de Hoon
  29. N. Idriz
  30. prof. J. Jansen
  31. S. Jansen-Wilhelm
  32. prof. A.W. Jongbloed
  33. prof. G. de Jonge
  34. prof. N. Kornet
  35. prof. X. Kramer
  36. C.E. Lewis
  37. prof. T. Liefaard
  38. S.L.T.J. Ligthart
  39. B. MacGonigle Leyh
  40. prof. A.R. Mackor
  41. G. Malgieri
  42. prof. A. Moerland
  43. prof. S.A.J. Munneke
  44. prof. J.E. Nijman
  45. prof. M. van Noorloos
  46. prof. B. Oomen
  47. prof. J.M. Otto
  48. prof. J.W. Ouwerkerk
  49. Chr. Paulussen
  50. prof. M. Pertégas Sender
  51. A. Pijnenburg
  52. E. Rieter
  53. prof. P.R. Rodrigues
  54. Ch. Sandelowsky
  55. prof. J.N. Schutte-Veenstra
  56. prof. C.J.M. Schuyt
  57. prof. A Smeulers
  58. prof. J.M. Smits
  59. prof. A. Soeteman
  60. C. Stalenhoef
  61. prof. C.J.J.M. Stolker
  62. E. Tissanier-Nasom
  63. prof. B.C.A. Toebes
  64. Stephanie Triefus
  65. prof. H.H.B. Vedder
  66. G.M. Veldt
  67. Derk Venema
  68. prof. W. Veraart
  69. prof. L.C.A. Verstappen
  70. N. Vosters
  71. prof. B. de Vries
  72. Emma de Vries
  73. prof. K. de Vries
  74. prof. H.C.F.J.A. de Waele
  75. prof. W. Werner
  76. prof. P.C. Westerman
  77. prof. M. van der Woude
  78. prof. F.J. Zuiderveen Borgesius

Other lawyers

  1. Zena Al-Baz
  2. E. Apeldoorn
  3. M. Ariaie-Buurke
  4. L. van den Assum
  5. G. Baars
  6. A. Barendsen
  7. Nora Bougrina
  8. M. Brkovoc
  9. L. Channouf
  10. K. Cimmermans
  11. L. Cuelenare
  12. N.C. van Geel
  13. L. Gonçalves-HoKang Ju
  14. ⁠Erdem Gören
  15. S.M. Guerrouj
  16. ⁠Laura Haan
  17. Zishan Hussain
  18. I. Hyder
  19. Funda  Ileri
  20. O. Jarrayi
  21. Kappeyne van de CapelloM.S.
  22. S. Karetko
  23. J. Kleiweg
  24. S. Koning
  25. M. Kuijper
  26. I. Kunst
  27. ⁠S. Lachkar
  28. S. Laoukili
  29. R. Laoukili
  30. ⁠Lisa Ligeon
  31. P. van der Linde
  32. P. van Lochem
  33. A. Logtenberg
  34. Hilde Mertens
  35. R. Mollinger
  36. Berkan Polat
  37. M. Rijnbeek
  38. M. de Rooij-van Stevenhagen
  39. R. Rootert
  40. H.W. Samson-Geerlings
  41. A. van der Schaaf
  42. L. Schijf
  43. Arzu Sengüler
  44. J. Taekema-van der Bruggen
  45. T. Tap
  46. J. Tegelaar
  47. J.J.J. Teunissen
  48. N. Teunissen
  49. D. Turhan
  50. M. Ünger
  51. ⁠Noa Veetman
  52. M. Verburg
  53. A. Visser
  54. J. van der Vlist
  55. J. Vugteveen

 

Published inUncategorized

Be First to Comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *